Friday, February 29, 2008

Hello Islander fans. The Islanders averted disaster last night with a must have 2 points against the Thrashers. Big games are coming. The team sits 2 points out of 8th and 5 points out of 6th with 17 games to go, and very few of them are going to be easy with multiple games against the Rangers, Flyers and Penguins. We will begin to see how this all plays out Saturday in Philadelphia and then Sunday back home on yet another cup celebration day. All I have to say about this weekend is to say we need at a minimum of 3 points out of those games with 2 against the hated Rangers next week. The Islanders need 6 out of the next 8 points available in my humble opinion in order to remain a strong playoff candidate. To do this they cannot squander goals like they did last night. Poor goal tending and defense will absolutely kill this team and if I what I saw last night was the way the team will play its next 4 games, then its going to be a long month and a half.

OK.. formalities out of the way lets move to our newest Voice feature HOCKEY TRIVIA. I will try and keep the questions non stat related as to make some sort of a challenge, unless you do not have a computer....... But then how you would be reading this without one would be quite a feat to accomplish.

Ok here is this weeks trivia questions as it is a multi-parter as they all deal with the WHA-

1 - What year did the WHA form and what year did it cease operations?

2 - What WHA teams were absorbed into the NHL?

3 - What franchise was the last WHA Champion?

Please try and avoid using the Internet to find your answers as that is.... CHEATING. Don't be a Belichek !!!!

POLL RESULTS -

The latest poll on the voice was quite simple. Either you believe the Islanders will make the playoffs or you do not. 60% of the respondents said Yes, and 40% said no. That'shigher of a no then I would expect to see on an Islander site. Suffice to say the last 17 games should be interesting and exciting. I so want the team to make the playoffs to give one big FU to everyone who picked the team to finish 15th in the conference and 30th in the league. Lets hope it happens and gets the team and its coach some positive recognition. This weeks poll will center around the trade deadline deals and non deals the team made.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Greetings and Salutations. So the trade deadline has passed and the Islanders seem to have let it go by and chose to continue pushing towards a playoff berth. So what subject better to bring back the most popular feature on the voice, the Good and the Bad. Lets get right into the subject shall we?

The Islanders made three minor deals on deadline day, acquiringDefenseman Rob Davison for a draft pick, and sending Chris Simon and Marc-Andre Bergeron away for draft picks. Also, they resigned top scorer Mike Comrie to a 1 year extension. They did not deal any more of their veterans that are on one year deals, risking letting Vasicek, Satan and Fedotenko walk away for nothing.

THE GOOD -

1 - The Trades -Davison provides a stopgap for how long Sutton and Witt are out. Chris Simon was at this point playing a marginal 4th line role and had just returned after a 30 games suspension. Bergeron was in Nolan's doghouse all season long and has had a very disappointing season after his 48 point outburst last season.

2 -Signings are a good thing - Signing Comrie for another year could potentially be a huge deal. It shows the Islanders are capable of retaining players and shows the organization as a place that maybe potential free agents in the off-season would wan't to come and play. Comrie coupled with Hunter forgoing his free agency and signing a 5 year deal is a good sign to show the NHL that the team can be a force with free agents.

3 - Selling when your 2 points out? No thank you. - The bottom line is that the 6 game winning streak saved the Islanders from going into full blown rebuilding mode. The bottom line is to get into the playoffs especially in the Eastern Conference where anything can and probably will happen.

THE BAD -

1 - The Trades - Rob Davison? Why pay a 7th round pick for a guy that will only play on the big club until Witt and or Sutton gets back. Trading Bergeron is a stupid move. Plain and Simple. The power play went 0-8 last night and guess what, your best offensive defenseman with the 100 MPH slap shot is on his way to the defensing Stanley Cup Champions. Someone will have to explain this and use an explanation other than to say he is a defensive liability. This team has enough defensive defenseman. The team needs OFFENSE and Bergeron provided it. Simon's departure leaves the team with no enforcer and will encourage teams to take liberties with the Islanders forwards.

2 - Playoffs are a pipe dream - Yeah Yeah they are 2 points out. So what. This team is supposed to be moving towards rebuilding and one way to do it would be to trade every possible part we could have for draft picks in a draft that is going as deep if not deeper than 2003, when 27 of the top 30 draft picks are in the NHL. Even if this team does squeak into the playoffs, its not going anywhere. Lets be honest, the time to fully rebuild was NOW.

3 - Sign Comrie? One year? Why? - Haven't we had enough of these one year deals already? We are going to have the same problems next season.

Keep in mind that all of the thoughts here are not necessarily my thoughts, but thoughts of the fan base that I have heard or spoken with. Please voice your opinions here on these thoughts, or post your own. Take care and Ill see you at the Coliseum.

Friday, February 22, 2008

The Voice is constantly trying to come up with new and exciting as well as thought provoking subjects to discuss. Today we will try something new - Statistical Anomalies. Here are a few to for us to chew on, lets see what comes out on the other side...

1 - The Islanders goal differential stands at ***drum roll*** -22. That is by far and away the worst of any of the teams within striking distance of the playoffs other than the Atlanta Thrashers who are at a -32. What does this mean? It means when you win you don't win by a lot but when you lose you lose by a lot. I am still trying to figure out what else it could mean.

2 - New York Islanders current goals for is at 154 which is the second lowest in the NHL. Our brethren from across the rivers' current goals for - 157. I guess the Islanders spend their money more responsibly then those who shall remain nameless.

3 - New Jersey Devils. They are currently one point from the Ottawa Senators for first overall in the conference. Ottawa has slowed their roll that is for sure and the Devils just keep on trucking along as perennial contenders in the East. As long as Mr. Brodeur is around, this is not going to change no matter how many players the Devils lose to free agency. Another one concerning the Devils is the Islanders are 5-0 against them this year.

4 - Hooray to Daniel Carcillo. I can hear the crickets now. Who in the heck is Daniel Carcillo? He is a Phoenix Coyotes forward. Still drawing a blank? He is currently tops in the NHL in Penalty Minutes at 236. Nice to know there are still guys around that can amass crazy amounts of penalty minutes. Reminds me of the days of Mick Vukota, Ken Baumgartner, Chris Nilan, Dave Semenko, Nick Fotiu, Gary Howatt, Bob Probert, Brian Curran, Joe Kocur... I could name names all day.

Monday, February 18, 2008

This is not something I usually do but given the circumstances I feel compelled to post during the game. This is arguably the worst played game I have seen the Islanders play in some time. They currently have 9 shots on goal, have taken 9 penalties.... well thats funny because Andy Hilbert just scored making it 2-1. Why dont I just wait until the game is over before I skewer the team.

AFTER THE GAME -

Well.... what do you know. From dispair comes triumph. It took me so long to come back because I just finished up the humongous plate of craw the Islanders just served me up. After Joe Thornton's goal I was going to come on here and just hammer the team for its effort in another must win game. 9 Shots? I lost count of the amount of times the team was short handed. They had none of that jump.. that first step to the puck quickness. Then Nabokov's mask broke and they brought in some fresh cut newbie from some minor league team to play goal. He faced ONE shot which further raised my frustration level. Instead of the Spongebob Squarepants theme they were playing for Kids Day II, they should have been playing The "Go To Sleep" Melody. Then... Andy Hilbert scored. Ahh.. So what right? They will lose 3-1. Then Mike Comrie makes Murray look like a total buffoon and ties the score with a move that SHOULD earn him a special gift from Hillary Duff and wind up on ESPN... or TSN if you will. Then the unthinkable happened... something that is a sure sign of the apocalypse.... Freddy Meyer scored the game winning goal with a brilliant shot to the far post beating Nabokov. Yes I will type it again. FREDDY MEYER scored a non empty net goal. FREDDY MEYER was the FIRST STAR of the game and the Islanders are now within 1 point of the Ottawa meat grinder of 8th, and within 4 points of our brethren from across the river for the coveted 6th spot that will face the beleagured Southeast division champion. We all saw how well that worked out for our brethren from across the river that shall remain nameless last season and could help us win a playoff series for the forst time in.. what 53 years? (SARCASM!!!)

Now is not the time for pats on the back or congratulations. I dont want to seem like a wet blanket because I will be rooting for the team as hard as anyone. They HAVE to beat the Capitals AND the Lightning next to maintain the hot streak into Jersey this Saturday to stay out ofthe "seller" bin one week from tomorrow. 22 games to go, and the team has fought back into the race. They had to win to get there, and they have to win to stay there.

Friday, February 15, 2008

Random Thoughts returns to the voice!!! I present 5 Random points on the current state of the Islanders, who last night went up and stomped out a victory over #55 and his hated Maple Leafs. Here we go -

1 - Islanders Leafs Rivalry - It has been said before. The Islanders and Leafs always put on entertaining games. They are fun, usually involve lots of goals, hits, fights and tense moments. Everything you could ask for in a rivalry. I may get flamed for this but I think the Islander Leaf rivalry has been hotter than the Islander-Ranger rivalry lately. Maybe thats because we havent seen our brethren from the City in so long. Another blunder by the NHL.

2 - DO or DIE - So far they are DOing. The Islanders have passed stage 2 of their 7 games do or die campaign. 2 must win games, 2 wins. More shocking than the fact that they won is the fact the team is scoring goals. 9 goals in 2 games? Ruslan Fedotenko, who has not done much of anything since the first week of the season is on fire. The "Bridgepoort Connection" of Tambelini, Comeau and Nielson are playing well. Comrie and Guerin seem to be reinvigorating their games. Thats all well and good but one loss at this point, especially to a conference opponent is almost a death knell. The team currently sits in 12th in the East and 4 points behind the doomed 8th playoff spot, if you want to call it a playoff spot. I call it the Ottawa meat grinder. The team vaulted over Florida to get into 12th, which means there are still 4 more teams to crawl over to get there. One of those teams is Atlanta who the Islanders will take on tomorrow night. A loss on home ice in front of what is supposed to be a sell-out crowd would be devastating. Next up after Atlanta is San Jose, which I can tell you people is not going to be a picnic.

3 - Worried or Pumped? You tell me. The team has "exploded" for 9 goals in the last 2 games. on the other hand if you want to look at the other side, they have allowed 7 goals in those games also. Is this because Nolan has loosened the reigns on the team or are they playing poor defense? Color me happy that I actually saw Berard AND Bergeron in uniform manning the power play and lo and behold -4 power play goals against the Leafs. Maybe that also is a reason the team has allowed so many goals... the investigation continues.

4 - Total Goal count - 143. Worst in the NHL and one less than our zillionaire friends from across the river. Think about that for a second.

5 - Rick going cold? This is not a time for Rick to be allowing weak goals. Every goaltender goes through it, and Rick is doing it now. At this point sooner or later it will cost the team. I am curious to see how the Atlanta game plays out for Rick. Hold them to 2 or less and they have a great shot at 2 points.

Let me know where you stand on any or all of these thoughts, or post your own Random Thoughts on the Islanders.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

The Islanders passed test number 1 of the 7 Game, 2 week section of the schedule that will determine wether they blow up the roster and start anew, or bolster the lineup in preparation for a serious run at the playoffs. the Islanders beat the Flyers 4-3, however myself and my Blog Box brethren seemed more shocked the team managed to score 4 goals than win the game. Next are the Toronto Maple Leafs up in Toronto. The team has traditionally gone up there and run out fo the building by the Leafs. All of that means nothing at this point but it bears mentioning. 2 Points is the only acceptible outcome for this game. nothing more needs to be said other than I hope to see #55 on the receiving end of an Andy Sutton crushing body check. (Thats for you D). Ill take the win forst, and the check second. Lets look ahead - We have Toronto tonight, Atlanta Saturday then on to San Jose, Washington, Tampa and Jersey. At the end of this stretch we will know what the rest of the season will hold. 6 Games and I would not be over stating that the Islanders need 10 points out of 12 to make it interesting.

Side note - Very classy move by the team that made an announcement that fans in the 300 section can move down to an open seat. I have been to a LOT of games when the stands have been half empty, and the first time I recall seeing a pro team make this announcement. The only shame of it is that they can actually offer this. Id much rather have the stands full, but thats another argument.

POLL RESULTS - 88% of the respondents chose the trade all vets for draft picks and young players if the team cannot turn it around. Thats pretty one sided in any democratic process. The next 6 games are the test. We all know what the team needs to do and that is win. If they can't then its no hold barred as to could and should be traded.

Saturday, February 9, 2008

This is it. This is where the bleeding must stop. This far, and no further. The Islanders have found every conceivable way to lose a game over the last 3 weeks and it must stop NOW. Minnesota today and The Orange Crud on Tuesday will be the first opponents of this Do or Die section of the Islanders schedule. If they want to salvage this season then they must win, period. The team stands now at 24-25-6. They are 6 points out of a playoff spot at this point and I will admit that it is by no means an insurmountable amount. The problems are the team is going downhill. 2-7-1 in their last 10 games is not a way to push towards a succesful playoff run. That and there are FOUR teams ahead of them jockeying for the 8th spot. I will not say that it is over, because it is not. What it is though is highly unlikely. What good does finishing 8th do anyway? It earns you 4 games against a juggernaught that is going to run over its 1st round victim in short order. as far as I am concerned finishing 8th isn't making the playoffs, its a one way ticket home.

The team is not going to pull another Ryan Smyth act this season, for one reason is that everyone who has a player to trade would ask for Okposo, and the fact that this summer's draft is going to rival the summer of 'o3's draft where 23 out of the 30 players drafted in the first round are currently in the NHL. I say we play the seller card this season and get the kids in Bridgeport some NHL face time the rest of the way. NHL teams want what we have and thats veterans on short term contracts who don't make serious money who can help in the short term. Who could net the most?

Mike Sillinger - There is a reason he has been traded at the deadline and been on more teams than most players. He is valuable, excellent defensively and great on faceoffs and excellent team player and could literally help anyone.

Mike Comrie - I am not kidding myself into thinking that Comrie is going to sign here long term. This season is a one season audition for a multi year contract up North or out West.

Miro Satan - He can put the puck in the net and is another guy we all know is not going to be back next season anyway. He needs to be a part of an offensive system. Ottawa could use him and he would look really nice next to Heatley and Spezza.

Marc-Andre Bergeron - I still do not understand why this guy is not playing on a team that is DEAD LAST in the NHL in goals for. I have said it before, he is worth the risk to have in the lineup but if he is not going to be used then lets get something for him.

Bryan Berard - Again, offensive defesman on the roster and Aaron Johnson and Andy Sutton are manning the power play. When did I get to bizarro land? I doubt he has any trade value at this point.

Bendan Witt - This is one guy I would not want to part with. On the other hand if a 1st round draft pick were coming the other way you would have to consider it.

Bill Guerin - Has proven he can still find the back of the net and has one year left on his deal. Again if a 1st rounder were involved you would have to consider it.

Josef Vasicek - I am not sure what kind of trade value he has, but he could net a 4-5th round pick. This guy is a microcosm of the Islanders - looks good from time to time but just isnt good enough to get the job done.

The time is coming for hard desicions and I hope I am wrong and this team can turn it back around. The next 2 weeks will tell and if the current trend continues the WORST thing that can happen is the team do nothing. Then a lose becomes a LOSE LOSE.

Sunday, February 3, 2008

This is the time people. It is officially time to panic. While everyone else in the Eastern conference seems to be holding thier own the Islanders are slip-sliding away into the great abyss. While this is no means meant to be a write off on the team, it is a red, loud buzzing, circulating warning light that this team needs something to turn it around, and that right soon. 1-5-1 in our last 7 games and showing absolutely no sign of being able to score a big goal.. or any goal for that matter what is a team to do? I know what you are thinking, "they they had a similar slide last year and still made the playoffs." The jury is still out on wether that was a good thing or not. Also, they needed a perfect storm to happen in order to make the playoffs in the 1st place. I am not going to sugar coat anything here, because I believe life is to short for BS. If this team does not show signs of coming out of this slump and actually challenging for a playoff spot then they should be sellers at the trade deadine. There would be takers for Comrie, Guerin, Sillinger, Vasicek, Berard, Fedotenko and Satan. This would allow the Islanders to amass some young talent and draft picks. Its obvious the team cannot score goals and we have 2 young prospects that are more than proving they are capable of scoring at the AHL level, why not try and let them prove it here if the current cast cannot get it done. If this team can challengs for the division title, then let them prove it. If not, then ship them out of here for the betterment of the organization. The time may be coming for tough decisions. Let us see where this takes us.

POLL RESULTS -

MY GOODNESS Richard Park has become a popular fellow. 61% of the respondents believe that Richard Park has been the non DP MVP this season and I agree. Richie has come a long way in the last 2 seasons and has more than filled the gap left by the enemy #55 when it comes to being a spark plug. He has scored and assisted on some big goals and is the type of guy the team should hold on to. Guerin and Witt had 15% of the vote and Mike Comrie trailed the field with 7%. This weeks poll will deal with the issue of rebuilding from the ground up, and this time I am not talking about the lighthouse project.